COIMBATORE: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials on Monday commenced a probe into rampant tiger deaths in The Nilgiris.

In the last 40 days alone, ten tigers including six cubs have died in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and in the forest territory of the Nilgiris district.

Alarmed by the increase in tiger deaths, a team of officials led by NS Murali, Inspector General of Forests, NTCA (Southern Zone), Kirupa Shankar, Deputy Director of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Chennai and Ramesh Krishnamurthy, scientist from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun visited the spot in ‘Chinna’ Coonoor, where four tiger cubs had died.

They were accompanied by MTR Field Director and Conservator of Forests D Venkatesh, S Gowtham, District Forest Officer (Nilgiris Division) and other senior officials of the forest department.

As part of the investigation, the NTCA officials questioned the circumstances that led to the death of four cubs and got to know of the follow up action taken by the forest department. They also asked about the ongoing search for the mother tiger, which continues to remain evasive under suspicious circumstances.

The NTCA officials then visited Emerald area, where one tiger was found poisoned to death near a stream flowing into Avalanche Dam, while another died of infighting. They investigated if the post mortem and other formalities of poisoned tigers were done as per the protocol prescribed by NTCA.

The NTCA officials, who then wrapped up their investigations, are likely to submit a report on the death of tigers.